Shloka 13
इदं तु यदत्तिक्षुद्रं वार्ष्णेयार्थे कृतं त्वया । वासुदेवमतं नूनं नैतत् त्वय्युपपद्यते,तुमने सात्यकिको बचानेके लिये जो यह अत्यन्त नीच कर्म किया है, यह निश्चय ही वसुदेवनन्दन श्रीकृष्णका मत है, तुममें यह नीच विचार सम्भव नहीं है
idaṃ tu yad ati-kṣudraṃ vārṣṇeyārthe kṛtaṃ tvayā | vāsudeva-mataṃ nūnaṃ naitat tvayy upapadyate ||
“But this act of yours—so utterly base—done for the sake of the Vārṣṇeya (Kṛṣṇa’s cause), must surely be in accordance with Vāsudeva’s counsel. Such a low intention does not truly befit you.”
भूरिश्रवा उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral accusation: a dishonorable act in war is condemned as 'ati-kṣudra' (utterly base). It also raises the ethical issue of shifting responsibility—suggesting the deed follows Kṛṣṇa’s policy—while insisting that such baseness is not truly consistent with the doer’s character.
Bhūriśravas rebukes his opponent for committing a contemptible act, claiming it was done to serve Kṛṣṇa’s interest and must reflect Kṛṣṇa’s counsel; he adds that such a low-minded intention does not naturally suit the person he is addressing.